Lancelot Politi

(in religion AMBROSIUS CATHARINUS)

Born at Siena, 1483; died at Naples,
1553. At sixteen he became Doctor of Civil and Canon Law (J.U.D.)
in the academy of Siena. After visiting many academies in Italy
and France he was appointed (1508) a professor at Siena, and had
among his pupils Giovanni del Monte, afterwards Pope Julius III,
and the celebrated Sixtus of Siena, a converted Jew who esteemed
his master, yet severely criticized some of his writings. About
1513 he entered the Order of St. Dominic in the convent of St.
Mark, at Florence. He studied Scripture and theology without a
master. This may account for his independence, and his defence of
opinions which were singular, especially in regard to
predestination, the certitude of possessing grace, the residence
of bishops in their dioceses, and the intention required in the
minister of a sacrament. He was a strenuous defender of the Faith
against Luther and his followers; and was prominent in the
discussions of the Council of Trent, to which he was called by his
former pupil, Cardinal del Monte, legate of Paul III. In the third
public session (4 February, 1546), Catharinus pronounced a notable
discourse, later published ["Oratio ad Patres Conc. Trid."
(Louvain, 1567; Paris, 1672)]. Notwithstanding attacks upon his
teaching he was appointed Bishop of Minori in 1546, and, in 1552,
Archbishop of Conza, Province of Naples. Pope Julius III,
successor of Paul III, called Politi to Rome, intending, says
Echard, to elevate him to the cardinalate, but he died before
reaching Rome. Historians and theologians generally have regarded
Catharinus as a brilliant, eccentric genius, who did much good,
was frequently accused of teaching false doctrines, yet always
kept within the bounds of orthodoxy. Pallavicini and other
authorities declare positively that the Council of Trent did not
condemn his singular opinions. His zeal and activity are
universally praised; he defended the Immaculate Conception of the
Blessed Virgin, and submitted all his writings to the judgment of
the Church, regretting towards the end of his life the vehemence
with which he had combatted Cardinal Cajetan and Father Dominic
Soto (Echard). His principal works (for complete list see Echard)
are: "Apologia pro veritate catholicæ et apostolicæ
fldei ac doctrinæ, adversus impia ac pestifera Martini
Lutheri dogmata" (Florence, 1520); "Speculum
hæreticorum" (Lyons, 1541), with two opuscula on
original sin and justification; "Annotationes in commentaria
Cajetani super sacram Scripturam" (Lyons, 1542); "Tractatus
quæstionis quo jure episcoporum residentia debeatur"
(Venice, 1547); "Defensio catholicorum pro possibili
certitudine gratiæ" (ibid., 1547); "Summa doctrinæ
de prædestinatione" (Rome, 1550); "Commentaria in
omnes D. Pauli epistolas et alias septem canonicas" (Venice,
1551); "Disputatio pro veritate immaculatæ conceptionis
B. Virginis" (Rome, 1551). He also published numerous
opuscula, e. g., on Providence and predestination, on the state of
children dying without baptism; on giving communion to young
children; on celibacy; on the Scriptures and their translation
into the vernacular.